Device for removing friction plugs from containers



Sept. 18, 1928.

G. A. LEIGHTON DEVICE FOR REMOVING FRICTION PLUGS FROM CONTAINERS FiledApril 16. 1926 I VENTOR.

T ORNE Y Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

GEORGE A. LEIGHTON', OF ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSTGNOR TO AMERICANCAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING FRICTION PLUGS FROM CONTADTERS.

Application filed April 16, 1926. Serial No. 102,380.

This invention relates broadly to a device for opening cans and morespecifically it has for its object the provision of an apparatus forremoving the closure member of so called friction plug cans. V

In the manufacture of friction plug cans of the larger type, especiallyof the gallon and five gallon sizes, which are used for pack ing fishand similar bulky products. it is the custom to finish both can body andfriction closure or cover and assemble them in the can making factorybefore shipping them out-to the customer. By this method it is certainthata plug will be supplied for every can. This requires the customer toremove the friction closure from the empty can before filling the can.This removal of the friction closure has prior to my invention been doneentirely by hand and a number of people were required to remove thefriction plugs to prepare the empty cans for the filling operation.

One of the objects of my invention resides in providing a simpleapparatus for quickly and easily removing thefriction plugs from cans ina most economical manner whereby the employment of labor for doing thisby hand is not further required.

Another object of mv invention resides in providing a device forremoving friction plugs from cans, which device is constructedand-arranged to firmly hold the assembled can body and plug whileforcing them apart and. without damage thereto.

Still another object of my invention resides in a simple type ofapparatus for removing friction plugs from cans which embodies a singlehand control and also a. conveniently dispose-d foot control. one ofwhich controls functions as a means for firmly hold ng the can andassembled plug and the other of which controls functions as a means forforcing the can body and plug apart.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood from the following description, which taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings discloses a further embodimentthereof.

Referring now to the drawings which form part of this specification andin which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, A

Figure 1 s a front elevation. of the a para 6B tus, parts being brokenaway and he-wing the device before a friction top can has been placedtherein for removal of the friction plug.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus takenapproximately along the central vertical line, showing the opening leverin raised or inoperative position. Figure 3 i s a similar view to Figure2 showmg the opening lever in lowered operative or removing position andshowing the foot lever in depressed position.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 44 of Figure 1.

The preferred form of my apparatus as illustrated in the drawings,comprises a preferably L-shaped metallic frame 10 secured to suitablesupport 11 as by means of bolts 12. This frame rigidly supports aholding mandrel or chuck 13 of a cross section similar to the crosssection of the recessed portion of the friction plug to be removed fromthe can. In the present instance this chuck 13is, of circularconformation and of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of therecessed part of the friction plug 14. This chuck 13 is provided withears 13; which are rigidly connected to the L-shaped frame 10 wherebythe chuck is rigidly supported substantially at two opposed peripheralportions. .A sliding plate 15 is reciprocably held between the verticalleg of the L-shaped frame 10 and the holding mandrel 13, a suitablegroove being formed in the face of the mandrel 13 to provide a guideway.This plate 15 is normally held in raised position by means of a spring16. Plate 15 can be lowered against the tens on of this spring 16 bymeans of a pedal 17 pivoted at 18 and connected with the sliding plateby means of a connecting rod 19 in turn pivotally connected to the pedalat 20 and to the sliding plate at 21. The upward and downwardreciprocation of the sliding plate is limited by a stop screw 22travelling in a slot 23 in the vertical shank of the L-shaped frame 10.This screw 22 has secured to its a pertured free end the lower end ofspring 16 and the other extremitv of said spring is secured to aperforated ring bolt 24 extending through the upper end of a frameextension 25 carried by the upper end of frame 10.

The upper end of plate 15 is constructed and arranged to provide acomplementary chuck member adapted to cooperate with the mandrel 13 forfirmly gripping the friction plug during the disassembling or prying; 6H1.10

operation. In addition it. is constructed and arranged to provide. ameans for preliminarfen-ed form this is provided in the construction ofan L-shaped lever pivoted as at 28 to abracket 29 bolted to the upperend of the plate-l5 preferably through the \rmige shaped element- 26.This lever 27 is provided with a h'andle QS-l and with a spring 30 whichconnec'ts to the eye-bolt 24. This lever 27 is provided with a dog-33pivoted thereto as at 31 and provided with an extension 36 engaging theunder side of the lever 27. It \vill'be noted that this dog is providedwith bifurcations by which it is pivoted to the lever. This dog isarranged at suclran angle to a positioned ean body C that when the lever27 is lowered from osition shown in Figure 2 to that sliown' 'in l igure3the dog will engage the projectingbottorn seam of the can body Candwillpry off the latter from the friction plug 14 which is retained onthe chuck 13. The extension 36 integral with the dog r'estricts'thebackwardmovement of the dog to the limit shown in Figures '2 and '3.

In operating my device a friction can body withits flflCtlOIl plugassembled thereto is positioned upon the stationary holding chuck 13 sothat the chuck is forced into the recess of the friction closure andengages the inside walls of the said friction closure. The foottreadle1:7 is then depressed which has the cilcct of lowering the sliding plateand the half circle wedge member 26 attached thereto. The sharp knifeedge of said wedge n'ien'iber then enters between the curled top edge ofthe container body and the outwardly turned flange of the friction plugand pries them apart to the extent of the thickness of the wedge pointor edge and at the same time secures the plug cover to the chuck.Simultaneously the lever 27 is grasped by the opera.- tor at the handle29 and depressed to position illustrated in Figure 3, which operationcauses the dog 33 to first engage the bottom seam flange and then pryoil the container body from the friction closure which action wasstarted by the wedge member 26. It will be seen that the knife edge ofthe wedge 26 also performs the important function of holding thefriction plug upon the mandrel by tightly embracing it around at leastone half of its periphery. After the container body has been completelypulled away from its friction plug the foot treadle 17 is released andthe slide and wedge member be 'n to rise back to inoperative position uner the tension of the spring 16. The spring 30 will also return-thelever .27 to inoperative position as soon as the operator releases thehandle 29.

From the fore oing description it will be readily apparent that I haveinvented a very simple, compact, sturdy and yet inexpensive device whichperforms the removal of friction plugs from empty friction containersefficiently, economically and with much greater speed and less effortthan has heret'ofore been possible.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill befu nderstood from the foregoing description it will be apparentthat various changes may be made in the form, constructionaridarrangement "of the parts without departing from the spiritand'jscope of the invention or sacrificing all of. its materialadvantages, the form hereinhe'fore described bein merely-a preferredembodiment thereon 1. A devic'e of the class described comprising asupport a mandrel mounted thereon and shaped to support a friction plugwith the can body assembled thereto, means for preliminarily wedging)apart said plug and can body, said means ei'ng' consumed-and arranged togrip the friction plug and additional means for forcing sai'd 'can'bodyifrom said friction plug while the latter isrippei arm a device of theclass described the combination of a support, a'mandrel thereon adaptedto 'fi't within a friction plug with the can body assembled'thereto,means for gripping the outer periphery of said plug, and means forpressing the can body away from said plug. 4

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a support,complementary chuck members thereon for gripping the top and under sideof the flange of a iction plu with the can body assembled thereto, anmeans for pressing the can body away from the friction plug while thelatter is being held.

4. In a device of the class described the combination of a support, amandrel inserted within a friction plug with the can body assembledthereto to support the same, a combined chucking and wedging' membermovable relative to said plug and adapted to wedge between the walls ofsaid plug and the assembled can body andto engage the plug to hold thelatter, and means for forcing the can body from said held plug.

5. A device of the class described compr1s ing in combination a support,a circular mandrel adapted to be inserted within the recess of afriction plug with the can body assembled thereto, a member movabletoward and from said mandrel and comprising an arcuate wedge likesurface adapted to be moved between the plug and the can body to pry thesame apart and to permit the arcuate member to grip the plug, and meanscarried by said member for forcing the can body from the plug.

6. A device of the class described comprising in combination a support,a mandrel mounted thereon adapted to be inserted in the recess of afriction plug with the can body assembled thereto, a combined chuckingand wedging member mounted on said support and movable toward and fromsaid mandrel, said member having a surface constructed and arranged towedge apart the can body and plug and to thereafter grip said plug, alever mounted on said member and provided with means adapted to engagesaid can body to force the latter from the plug while the plug isgripped.

7. A device of the class described comprising in combination a support,a mandrel rigidly mounted thereon and adapted to fit within the recessof a friction plug with the can body assembled thereto, a plateslidingly mounted between the mandrel and support, a pedal connected toand operating said plate, a spring for operating said plate in anopposite direction to that of the pedal, a combined wedging and grippingmember mounted on said plate and constructed and arranged to wedgebetween the beads of said plug and can body, an L-shaped lever pivotallymounted on said Wedging member, said L-shaped lever having a dogpivotally mounted thereon and depending therefrom so as to engage thebottom head of the can body to force the latter from the friction plug.

8. A device of the class described comprising in combination a support,a mandrel for holding a friction plug with the can body assembledthereto, a combined gripping and wedging member mounted on said supportfor initially wedging the can body apart from the plug and forthereafter gripping the plug, a pedal for operating the plate and a handlever carried by said wedging member and having means for engaging thebottom head of the can body for prying it from the plug.

9. In a device of the class described the combination of a support, amandrel thereon for engaging a friction plug with the can body assembledthereto, and manually operable means for gripping the plug and forprying the can body therefrom.

GEORGE A. LEIGHTON.

